Liliesleaf Farm
Liliesleaf
The secret base of the ANC’s underground armed wing, whose 1963 raid led to the Rivonia Trial, in which Mandela and others were sentenced to life imprisonment.
Liliesleaf, in the northern suburb of Rivonia, served in the early 1960s as the secret headquarters of the ANC and its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation). Mandela hid there disguised as a gardener. The police raid in 1963 uncovered large quantities of documents, which led to the famous Rivonia Trial, where Mandela and others were sentenced to life imprisonment. Today the main house and cottages have been turned into an interactive museum with video and oral histories. Admission is about R140, and it is open roughly from 9:00 to 17:00. The site must be reached by taxi.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Montecasino
- Nelson Mandela Square
- Satyagraha House
- Johannesburg Zoo
- Constitution Hill
- Ponte City Apartments
- Braamfontein & Neighbourgoods Market
- Origins Centre